Playing Doctor
by SMoon1980
Summary: Xander laments over the memories of his childhood with Willow.


Xander laments over the memories of his childhood with Willow.

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or it's characters. I am merely borrowing them for my own enjoyment. I am making no profit.

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Light filtered dimly through the curtains on Xander's window. He sat quietly on his bed. Stretched out on his bed. He looked over to his night stand and smiled at the picture sitting on it. He stood next to Willow with Jesse during freshman year. That was pre-Buffy, pre-vampires, and pre-everything. They were so happy, it didn't matter they were the out crowd they had each other. The smile soon faded when he thought of Jesse, he had been turned and Xander had inadvertently staked his best friend. But he still had Willow. He would always have Willow.

Xander turned away. He didn't want to think of Willow. She was happy now. Oz had taken her back, Oz has her heart, all Xander had were memories. Willow had been a shining light in his life for as long as he could remember, but now he knew there would be nothing more. 

Closing his eyes tightly he couldn't help but remember when Willow and he had been little. Inseparable best friends.

~~~~Flashback~~~~

A six year old Xander lay on Willow's bed in her room. His eyes tightly closed. He was softly groaning. His stomach hurt, it probably didn't help he had eaten entire gallon on ice cream before running over to Willow's. He felt as if would explode. To avoid the accusing finger of an "I told you so!" from Willow he had told her he had no idea why he felt bad. It had just come on suddenly, he told her. She paled slightly and nodded.

Now Willow sat in front of her book shelf looking for a specific medical text. Spotting it she pulled the heavy book from the shelf and tossed it to the floor. Another worried glance to Xander laying as still as possible on her bed she scanned the index. She remembered once when she had read this book se had come across a disease that came on quickly with no prior symptoms. She found the page number and began hastily flipping to the page.

Trying vainly to stifle a giggle Xander had one eye open watching Willow fervently scanning the medical volume. She was so cute, she had no clue there were "different" ways to play this game. When she glanced up once more he quickly squeezed his eyes shut. Not able to stifle a giggle he tried to play it off with a cough. Willow looked back to the book. The Fever she had found was a very rare Amazonian fever, only gotten in the deepest places in the Amazon rainforest. But the symptoms were quickly adding up. A sudden stomach ache followed by an aversion to light. ~ That must be the reason he keeps squeezing his eyes shut. ~ Willow thought to herself. Now came the in frequent coughing. ~ OH NO!~ If he began to become delirious there was no denying it. She picked up the book and lightly sat on the end of the bed.

"What's the verdict?, Will. Am I going to live?" Xander asked. Willow gave a tiny squeak, then cleared her throat. Xander raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Xander, I I think you might have this fever from the Amazon. You have almost all of the symptoms! I don't know what to do, there is no cure." Willow looked down sadly. It was to much for Xander, he didn't want to have Willow sad, but the look on her face was to cute. He laughed. He was laughing so hard his side ached. Willow looked up worriedly. ~ Oh No! He's delirious! What am I going to do! ~ Willow broke down into tears. Xander quickly stopped laughing and quickly pulled her tiny frame into his arms.

"Will, look at me Will!" Willow looked into his eyes. "I'm not dying, I ate to much ice cream, that's all. But when you started to try to diagnose me it was to funny. I'm sorry I didn't want to upset you. Forgive me?" A lopsided Xander grin accompanied the apology. Willow wiped the tears away. She pulled out of his embrace and looked at him. He was laying on his elbows with that unavoidable grin on his face. She pulled her tiny fist back and slugged him in the arm.

"Ouch! Geeze, Will. That hurt!" Xander tenderly rubbed the place on his arm she had hit.

"Alexander Harris, If you EVER make me think your sick again I will do a lot more than slug you!" With that she grabbed the pillow from behind him and hit him with it. Xander quickly grabbed another pillow and the pillow fight to end all pillow fights ensued.

Eventually collapsing into a fit of giggles the two best friends laid together on the bed.

~~~~End Flashback~~~~

Xander sat up. He crossed over to the picture on his dresser of Willow and Buffy and him all lounging in a rare moment of non hellmouth interrupted peace. Xander remembered when Buffy had been in the hospital and Willow had said that they had played doctor all the time. He had quickly amended that she had diagnosed him with stuff, not having the heart to tell her she was playing it wrong.

But as he looked at her beautiful face smiling at him in the picture, he wouldn't have had it any other way. If memories were all he could have then any with Willow were beautiful.

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The End

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